World tennis stars have threatened to boycott Roland Garros over millions of euros in prize money
11 May 14:25
A new conflict is brewing in the world of tennis between the organizers of Grand Slam tournaments and the players themselves. Leading ATP and WTA players are speaking out more and more forcefully, claiming that they receive too small a share of the revenue from the world’s biggest tournaments. Reuters reports on this, according to
This time, Roland Garros has found itself at the center of the debate. Despite the fact that the prize fund for the French Open in 2026 has grown to a record €61.7 million, tennis players consider the system for distributing the money to be unfair.
The situation was exacerbated by the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA)—an organization founded by Novak Djokovic. In its statement, the PTPA emphasized that the conflict over prize money has only highlighted deeper problems in professional tennis.
“Players put on the show, generate revenue, attract TV audiences and secure sponsorship deals, but receive a disproportionately small share of the revenue,” the association stated.
Reuters notes: unlike the NBA or NFL, where athletes receive about 50% of league revenue, in tennis, the players’ share is significantly lower.
According to Western media reports, some athletes have already informally discussed the possibility of applying collective pressure on Grand Slam organizers.
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Mid-level tennis players are particularly sensitive to the issue of money. While superstars earn tens of millions of dollars in advertising, most professional players are forced to pay for flights, coaches, physical therapists, and accommodation essentially out of their prize money.
The tennis business has been rapidly becoming more expensive in recent years. Grand Slam tournaments are generating record revenues from television rights and global sponsors. However, the debate over exactly how this money is distributed is becoming increasingly heated.
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